Art Journal Catalysts

Caylee

067 Flow

067 Flow

Flow#gmseasonofflow​This season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist For the past eight years, my life has revolved around art journaling. Convincing others to art journal and...

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Arlyna embraces the messy middle

Arlyna embraces the messy middle

Interview with Arlyna about art journaling, creative practices, advice, and what to do in a creative rut. Take a peek into the art, and heart of your new favourite artist…

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Found Nature Objects by Arlyna So

Found Nature Objects by Arlyna So

SlowYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Incorporate what you can find outside, in nature, and bring them inside into your journal. Part 1Part 2 Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy...

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Cathy Nichols follows joy in her journal

Cathy Nichols follows joy in her journal

Interview with Cathy Nichols about art journaling, creative practices, advice, and what to do in a creative rut. Take a peek into the art, and heart of your new favourite artist…

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Flower Fever by Cathy Nichols

Flower Fever by Cathy Nichols

SlowYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create a field of flowers using warm and cool colors. Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know that more than...

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Slow Inspir-action

Slow Inspir-action

SlowFill up your creative well and find ideas for your next art journal page. Private member galleryInstagram #gmseasonofslow[instagram-feed type="hashtag" hashtag="#gmseasonofslow" showcaption=false...

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066 Slow

066 Slow

Slow#gmseasonofslowThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist We don’t have time. We, as humans, simply don’t have time for everything we want to do, everything we want...

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Textured Reflections by Amanda Trought

Textured Reflections by Amanda Trought

ChaptersYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create a reflective texture-rich art journal page. Bonus Save this file to your computer, print it out, and allow it to accompany you on...

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Breaking Patterns by Mou Saha

Breaking Patterns by Mou Saha

ChaptersYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Use your art journal as an intentional self-healing tool. We will focus on spotting some of our unproductive thought patterns and creating...

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Chapters Inspir-action

Chapters Inspir-action

ChaptersFill up your creative well and find ideas for your next art journal page. Private member galleryInstagram #gmseasonofchapters[instagram-feed type="hashtag" hashtag="#gmseasonofchapters"...

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065 Chapters

065 Chapters

Chapters#gmseasonofchaptersThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist Recently,  I was lying on a stretcher in the ER. I have never been in that much pain. It came on...

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Gather, Spark, Create by Felicitas Mayer

Gather, Spark, Create by Felicitas Mayer

IdeasYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Use your old paper scraps and other crafty left-overs to find new creative ideas for art journaling. Action Steps create something based on this...

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Movable Idea Catchers by Kiala Givehand

Movable Idea Catchers by Kiala Givehand

IdeasYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create an interactive way to explore and discover the ideas that live inside you. Part 1Bonus Save this file to your computer, print it out, and...

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30 Journal Ideas

30 Journal Ideas

Ideas Write your favourite quote ever. Your favourite song lyrics. A sentence from the last book you read. What do you need today? What does life look like right now? What are some of your best...

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30 Art Ideas

30 Art Ideas

Ideas Do your go-to technique. Try out a brand new technique.Use your most recently purchased supplies. Use your oldest supplies. Use only one medium. Use as many mediums as you can. Use your...

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Ideas Inspir-action

Ideas Inspir-action

IdeasFill up your creative well and find ideas for your next art journal page. Private member galleryInstagram #gmseasonofideas[instagram-feed type="hashtag" hashtag="#gmseasonofideas"...

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064 Ideas

064 Ideas

Ideas#gmseasonofideasThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist Being a creative human means having countless ideas. Countless great ideas and countless just plain bad...

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The best books for art journalers

The best books for art journalers

Books are awesome. I am a massive book nerd. My interior design style is “books and plants”. My love for books is part of the reason I love art journaling – I get to create my own library of art. I get to fill my bookshelves with the tangible containers of my own...

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20 of the best books on journaling

20 of the best books on journaling

I've been art journaling for eight years, but it was only two years ago that I've fallen for written journaling. And man, have I fallen hard. My journaling journey For a long time, art journaling helped me say everything that I couldn't say with words. As Georgia...

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Start with Gratitude with Tiare Smith

Start with Gratitude with Tiare Smith

Interview with Tiare Smith about art journaling, creative practices, advice, and what to do in a creative rut. Take a peek into the art, and heart of your new favourite artist…

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52 journal cover and first page ideas

52 journal cover and first page ideas

The main thing that stopped me from keeping a journal in the past was fear of the blank page. Specifically, fear of the very first blank page. My initial way of dealing that fear was to simply keep the first page blank, turn the page, and make the art. It’s not a bad...

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Your World by Jana Clinard Harris

Your World by Jana Clinard Harris

EncouragementYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create a journal that shows what your ideal world looks like. This is a place you wish you could live in all the time. It should...

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How to organise ephemera for MORE creating and less hoarding

How to organise ephemera for MORE creating and less hoarding

Ephemera is my number one supply ever, and if I only had one supply I could take on an island, it'd be paper. I am an exceptionally organised human, but I am also a creative and ephemera organisation lends itself to somewhere in the middle of those two things. The...

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Encouragement Inspir-action

Encouragement Inspir-action

EncouragementFill up your creative well and find ideas for your next art journal page. Private member galleryInstagram #gmseasonofencouragement[instagram-feed type="hashtag"...

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063 Encouragement

063 Encouragement

Encouragement#gmseasonofencouragementThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist If you’ve ever played an online role-playing game, you’ll know all about support...

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Art Books

Art Books

ResourceArt BooksThe Best Books for Art JournalersBooks are awesome I am a massive book nerd. My interior design style is “books and plants”. My love for books is part of the reason I love art journaling - I get to create my own library of art. I get to fill my...

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Journaling Books

Journaling Books

ResourceJournaling Books21 books on written journalingJackee Holder The Science and Wisdom of Writing and journalingIra Progoff The basic text and guide for using the Intensive Journal processStephanie Dowrick The Art and Heart of ReflectionLucia Capacchione The Art...

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How to embrace a new season in your art

How to embrace a new season in your art

Every month at Get Messy, we start a new season. Get Messy Seasons are a focused exploration of creating according to a theme. Filled with tutorials, prompts, and catalysts for you to learn and love. In the same way that we go through seasons of our life, we also go...

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Making Moveable Collages by e bond

Making Moveable Collages by e bond

HeartYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Explore how to make moveable collages in your art journal. Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know that more...

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Lovingly Stitched by Alyssa Griese

Lovingly Stitched by Alyssa Griese

HeartYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Stitch a love note or kind word to yourself or to someone you love. Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know...

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Yay! Your Open Weekend Ahead…

Yay, ✨ We’re proud of you. We are celebrating that you have said YES to art. Want to make the most of your weekend at Get Messy?Your turn for action. Just three things:Go to the Dashboard Modeled off the real Get Messy member...

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Open Weekend

Open DashboardWelcome, , you opalescent tree sharkHow does this work? Welcome to Get Messy's Open Weekend! The Open Weekend has now passed, but we're leaving it open for members. You will be able to navigate a lot of the site, but...

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Messy Recipes: The Overthinker’s Guide to Making Art

Messy Recipes: The Overthinker’s Guide to Making Art

Workshop Replay Messy Recipes: The Overthinker's Guide to Making ArtThe workshop is for the perfectionist who chooses mess instead. It’s the perfect, practical antidote to overthinking. I’m a recovering perfectionist myself. Embracing the mess is a...

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Heart Inspir-action

Heart Inspir-action

HeartFill up your creative well and find ideas for your next art journal page. Private member galleryInstagram #gmseasonofheart[instagram-feed type="hashtag" hashtag="#gmseasonofheart"...

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062 Heart

062 Heart

Heart#gmseasonofheartThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist Every time that you art journal, you are releasing your heart onto the page. Sometimes it looks weird,...

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Day 31 Celebration

Day 31 Celebration

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Celebrate your creative month! Write a list of small achievements, add confetti,...

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Day 30 Awe

Day 30 Awe

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Grab a sheet of paper and collage anything onto it that reminds you of the things...

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Day 29 Serenity

Day 29 Serenity

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Make your practice today meditative. Some ideas: light a candle, drink some fruit...

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Day 28 Self

Day 28 Self

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create a 1 page zine with the theme of your current self. My best advice for...

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Day 27 Mindfulness

Day 27 Mindfulness

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Use a monochromatic color palette to help bring your mind into a calm and present...

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Day 26 Failure

Day 26 Failure

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Go back to your unfinished or "failed" pages and rework them. Cover them up, pain...

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Day 25 Bloom

Day 25 Bloom

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Let it bloom: cultivate your creativity through an expressive floral zine. Don't...

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Day 24 Magic

Day 24 Magic

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Take a moment to look around you and find the magic in your surroundings. This...

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Day 23 Contrast

Day 23 Contrast

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Explore contrast through value, complementary colors, and paradoxical subject...

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Day 22 Love

Day 22 Love

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Use gesso, black paint, a pencil, watercolors, and a vintage image to express the...

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Day 21 Words

Day 21 Words

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Add journaling to your art journal page. What are you thinking? How are you...

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Day 20 Nature

Day 20 Nature

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Take your supplies outside and create inspired by the world around you! Follow the...

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Day 19 Less

Day 19 Less

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Using a base of neutral collage, add a single block of color to create impactful...

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Day 18 Documenting

Day 18 Documenting

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:How do you document your days? What are you learning about yourself as each day...

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Day 17 Yes

Day 17 Yes

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:What was the last creative impulse you felt? Was it to try a new medium? Attempt a...

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Color & Paper Mixing by Roben-Marie Smith

Color & Paper Mixing by Roben-Marie Smith

MessYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Gather papers by color and collage them into your sketchbook for project inspiration. Bonus Save this file to your computer, print it out, and...

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Day 16 Belonging

Day 16 Belonging

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:"Belonging is being your authentic self and knowing that no matter what happens,...

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Day 15 Flow

Day 15 Flow

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create with as few distractions as possible to achieve a State of Flow. Just....

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Day 13 Home

Day 13 Home

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create a collage house with images filled with the comforts of home. Creating art...

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Day 12 Habit

Day 12 Habit

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create a habit of seeing possibilities for using recycled materials in your art...

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Day 11 Imperfection

Day 11 Imperfection

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Make a list of five ways to practice and embrace imperfection in your art. If you...

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Day 10 Connection

Day 10 Connection

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create a page that connects you to your art process. You can do this by including...

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Grungy Papers by Melanie Theriault

Grungy Papers by Melanie Theriault

MessYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create grungy tissue papers with a gel plate and acrylic paints to use as a quick background. Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take...

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Day 09 Spark

Day 09 Spark

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Begin to play with a handful of your favorite or forgotten supplies on separate...

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Day 08 Mess

Day 08 Mess

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:MESS: Embrace the big beautiful messiness of life! Take old journal or diary pages...

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Zine Hangout

Zine Hangout

Zine Hangout Replay Hosted by Wendy Solganik @willa.wanders and Debbie Bamberger @debbiebamberger. This is a monthly Zoom hangout that is open to all Get Messy members.Dr. Debbie Bamberger is a nurse practitioner in Berkeley, California, providing sexual and...

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Day 06 Freedom

Day 06 Freedom

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Give yourself the freedom to create the NON-perfect handwriting by writing the...

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Day 05 Courage

Day 05 Courage

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:What does COURAGE mean to you? Create an art journal spread with your take on...

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Day 04 Adventure

Day 04 Adventure

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Get outside to gather bits and pieces of nature and create a unique fabric using...

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Day 07 Cultivation

Day 07 Cultivation

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Cultivate your creative voice through experimentation. Create a grid, use limited...

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Day 03 Happy

Day 03 Happy

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Carefree fun. Create with the joyfulness of a child. Don't take your artwork too...

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Mess Inspir-action

Mess Inspir-action

MessFill up your creative well and find ideas for your next art journal page. Private member galleryInstagram #gmseasonofmess[instagram-feed type="hashtag" hashtag="#gmseasonofmess" showcaption=false...

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Day 02 Showing up

Day 02 Showing up

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Show up in your journal today, in the easiest way possible. Use a bullet point...

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52 Ideas for Starting a New Art Journal

52 Ideas for Starting a New Art Journal

The main thing that stopped me from keeping a journal in the past was fear of the blank page. Specifically, fear of the very first blank page. My initial way of dealing that fear was to simply keep the first page blank, turn the page, and make the art. It's not a bad...

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061 Mess

061 Mess

Mess#gmseasonofmessThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist As the host of Get Messy, it’s assumed that I love messy creating, that I’m easy-going, and that letting go...

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Day 01 Starting

Day 01 Starting

Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May: Start. Either by opening your journal to a new page or by binding a journal just...

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Messy May 2022

Messy May 2022

Welcome to Messy May 2022, you rainbow-infused space unicorn Here are three ways to make the most of...

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How to bind a three hole pamphlet stitch

How to bind a three hole pamphlet stitch

This is a lesson from Basic Bookbinding. Whatever your inner artist needs to create, build yourself the perfect handbound book with this course to capture all of your beautiful art and precious words. In Basic Bookbinding, you will learn how to bind four different...

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MM Inspir-action

MM Inspir-action

[instagram-feed type="hashtag" hashtag="#getmessymay" showcaption=false showlikes=false showheader=false]

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MM Downloads

MM Downloads

Bonuses will be sent by email on the day, and they will be saved here in the classroom at the end of the month.

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MM Prompts

MM Prompts

Hosted by @cayleegrey Start. Either by opening your journal to a new page or by binding a journal just for Messy May. Be welcomed into the challenge, and welcome your fellow creatives.Hosted by Caylee @cayleegrey Show up in your journal today, in the easiest way...

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MM Artists

MM Artists

@cayleegrey Caylee Grey is a South African artist who fills her journals with loads of mediocre art. Imperfect, heart-led, gloriously mediocre art. Caylee's the Fairy Artmother of Get Messy Art, the kindest art journaling community on the internet, and author of the...

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